NXIVM founder Keith Raniere spoke out for the first time since being charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and forced labor to proclaim his innocence.
“Yes, I am innocent,” he told Dateline. “And although it is — this is a horrible tragedy, with many, many people being hurt, I think the main thrust of this has been the oppression.”
Here are all the dark details about the organization federal prosecutors have described as a “sexual pyramid scheme.”
What is Nxivm?
Raniere and Nancy Salzman founded NXIVM, a personal development company in 1998, offering “Executive Success Programs” that reportedly attracted the Hollywood elite including Smallville actress Allison Mack, heiresses, the co-founder of BET, and a former U.S. Surgeon General.
Secret Society
Within the organization, Raniere created a secret society known as the acronym DOS for the Latin phrase “Dominus Obsequious Sororium,” which reportedly translates to “Master of the Obedient Female Companions.”
.@HBODocs' #TheVow is a gripping and immersive look at the "self-help" group #NXVIM. It features an astonishing amount of footage from inside the cult, including #AllisonMack's first meeting with #KeithRaniere. Review: https://t.co/SNVl9I0Aj4 pic.twitter.com/7ErYq2M1uW
— Kristen Baldwin (@KristenGBaldwin) August 19, 2020
Pyramid
Raniere heralded himself as the Vanguard, a title adopted from a video game that meant he was in a position of absolute power, and expected students to refer to him as such. Salzman was titled Prefect, second in charge of the organization, and Mack was allegedly second in command of the DOS.
DOS
Mack reportedly recruited female members of NXIVM to the DOS pyramid to become sexual ‘slaves’ to Raniere, who could in turn recruit additional slaves for whom they would then own as ‘masters.’
Allison Mack just left federal court in Brooklyn. She entered a plea to racketeering charges in connection to an alleged sex cult called NXIVM. She’s accused of recruiting sex slaves for its spiritual leader, Keith Raniere. pic.twitter.com/hI5xR387xf
— Kevin Rincon (@KevRincon) April 8, 2019
Collateral
The women were reportedly made to turn over personally damaging “collateral” like nude photos upon joining, which would be later used to blackmail them if they refused to pleasure Raniere sexually.
#FOLLOWSMON#AllisonMack Allison Mack Why ? pic.twitter.com/rlOCyylgLR
— Mon SDV (@brasileiro1914) October 25, 2020
Branding
DOS members were reportedly blindfolded and held down naked on a massage table, while their masters used a cauterizing device to brand them with a symbol that contained Raniere’s initials near their pelvic area.
A fantastic read that talks about NXIVM, the cult where the owner Keith Raniere got arrested for sec trafficking and branding women! #nxivm #sextrafficking #goodread #keithraniere #cagherineoxenberg #indiaoxenberg #branding https://t.co/ttKNiuq3RK pic.twitter.com/Gm0qbWx2TZ
— A-Team.HsV (@ateam_hsv) October 26, 2020
Servitude
Members of the DOS allegedly were forced to go on starvation diets to meet Raniere’s requirements for the ideal female body type. They reportedly would pay tribute to Raniere by attending his NXIVM meetings naked and sitting on the floor while he spoke.
‘The Vow’ #Season 2 #First Look: #Nxivm Cult #Leader #Keith #Raniere #Heads to Courthttps://t.co/J3N7b4hBNV pic.twitter.com/unFMtyi6bx
— BloGoal (@BloGoalcom) October 20, 2020
Punishment
Lauren Salzman, Nancy’s daughter and a high-ranking master in the DOS, testified to forcing one of her ‘slaves’ into solitary confinement for two years for gaining weight and admitting to having interest in another man.
Convictions
Nancy and Lauren Salzman, along with Mack, pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges in order to avoid trial, they await sentencing. Raniere was found guilty on all charges and is expected to be sentenced on October 27th.
#nancysalzman claimed to be the hardest working employee of #NXIVM. She nicknamed herself the "Energizer Bunny." I beg to differ. She earned the majority of her pay by sleeping on the job, as seen here in #TheVow. pic.twitter.com/rFKM983WIT
— Ivy Nevares (@ivynevares) October 20, 2020
Apology
Though he maintains his innocence, Raniere apologized in his interview. “I apologize for my participation in all of this pain and suffering. I’ve clearly participated. I’ve been the leader of the community.”
Keith Raniere AND Ghislaine Maxwell both live in my neighborhood!!! ?#Nxivm pic.twitter.com/Hd2aX62FOs
— Mr. Lotion (@KIAsouleater) October 20, 2020
wpDiscuz
Is this guy running for a Democratic Senator seat?
Be right at home with pervy Joe.
This will certainly be a resume enhancer. LMAO
I keep thinking of what suburban, college educated white women did during the mid-term elections.
I keep hearing how white women are voting Biden because they think Hunter Biden is handsome and they feel sorry for him. (GOD HELP US!!!!)
Trump is directly pleading with suburban women to like him.
AND NOW THIS SEX SLAVE BRAINWASHING OF WOMEN!!!
I’m beginning to understand why it took women 200 years to get the right to vote!!!
Would not be surprised if joy, whoopi , Jane fonda and meryl streep are also queen bees!!!!
When guys get involved in this kind of crap, they need to have it surgically removed. It will only take a time or 2 and it will end, because they are so in love with that part of their body. Do you think I’m right?